Birdwatching at Queen and Carlaw: December, 2020

Rather than sitting and waiting for the snow tires to be put on my car, I wandered about in this interesting area of eastern Toronto.

The large doors indicate that horses from formerly nearby Woodbine Race Track were brought here for care.
Moon
plastic owl

I knew that there would be plenty of botany to explore:

Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Manitoba Maple (Acer negundo)
Silver Maple (Acer sachharinum)
Red Ash (Fraxinus pensylvanica)
London Plane (Platanus hybrida)
Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis)
Holly (Ilex)
Horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)
Linden (Tilia)
Riverbank Grape (Vitis riparia)
Wayfaring Tree (Viburnum lantana)

I expected to find the usual city birds; Rock Pigeons and House Sparrows and I did;

Rock Pigeons
Rock Pigeons
House Sparrow (male)
House Sparrows

It was a surprise, however, to find a wider variety of species here than anywhere else I have been recently:

White-breasted Nuthatch
American Crow
Cedar Waxwing
American Robin
Black-capped Chickadee
Northern Cardinal (male)

NATURE POETRY

The ten hours’ light is abating,
And a late bird wings across,
Where the pines, like waltzers waiting,
Give their black heads a toss.                     – Thomas Hardy (1840–1928)

Miles Hearn

3 thoughts on “Birdwatching at Queen and Carlaw: December, 2020

  1. rosemarie fischer

    Thank you miles,nice to see a completely different area,one most of us would not get to see. You always come up with interesting ideas!!!!!

    Reply
  2. MBunker

    A neighborhood I’ve never explored. So interesting and lovely. Thanks for sharing your experience.
    Wishing you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.
    🎄Marilyn

    Reply
  3. Lisa Volkov

    I love exploring Toronto neighborhoods. Hope to do it again! Beautiful birds, too, and– that Wayfaring Tree! Thanks, Miles!

    Reply

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